Axium

CHAPTER 10-11

Verin stopped working on the wall and looked at her in confusion. "But how did that cause all the magic to vanish?"

"She caused the virus to mutate in turn making it do the exact opposite of what Merlin intended."

"Ah, I see."

She nodded "With animals and humans having their magic sealed it seemed to have completely disappeared from the world. Even though the planet itself was still abundant with it."

Verin started another wall as she finished the last bit of the one they had been working on. "So how did that get fixed. I mean we obviously have magic today."

"Well without magic humankind went through a dark age but eventually they pulled through and learn to rely on science instead. Almost a thousand years later the TV TPD 'The View The Past Device' was developed. This device enabled them to read and view light and sound frequencies etched onto an object. With it they started to watch things that had happened in the past and you can imagine their surprise when they saw their ancient forebears using magic. Especially when up until that point magic was considered nothing but a myth."

"I can definitely see that being quite the shock." Verin leaned against his wall and used his magic to pull water out of the air into his cupped hands and took a drink. "So I guess the people of the time went on a mad quest to figure out what had happened to magic?"

She reached into her dimensional inventory, pulled out a cup and shoved it at him. "Your hands are dirty! You shouldn't do that."

He shrugged. "I drink from streams like this all the time and it's never hurt me before."

"It's filthy and you have no idea what type of germs you are putting into your body."

He took the cup. "Wow for someone as powerful as you, you worry about some of the weirdest things."

"It's not weird. It's common sense. You don't put foreign entities in your body."

"Okay your highness. I will wash my hands before I eat and I'll only use cups from now on."

The sarcasm in his voice made her want to punch him.

He filled the cup with water out of the air and handed it to her. "Here you look thirsty and you still haven't finished my history lesson."

She glared at him but took the cup anyway. He was right she was thirsty. She took a small sip. It was warm. he hadn't cooled it.

"I'm not your servant." He said with a teasing smile.

She tossed the water at him. But he raised his hand and the water stopped in midair.

"Hey that's cheating."

He shrugged and used his magic to push the water back into the cup. "Waste not. Want not."

She sighed and used a small ice spell to cool the water.

"History?"

She sip the water and turned away letting her hair smack him in the face.

He laughed. "I guess I'll just have to search your memories for it."

She spun back around. "Don't you dare!"

"I will if you don't tell me."

This was so unfair how come he could stop her but she couldn't stop him!?

"History?" He prodded antagonistically.

She crossed her arms. "They use the TV TPD. Tracked what happen down to him. Found his remains inside the cave where he had used the last of his magic to freeze a sample of his retrovirus. They reversed engineered it and released it on the world. Well not directly they tried to keep it to a select few but it quickly spread."

"Now that wasn't so hard was it."

She put her arms on her hips and stared him straight in the eyes as she said her favorite quote, "People say there's a reason for everything so when I punch you in the face remember I have a reason."

Verin burst into laughter but it only lasted for a few seconds because XRenia brought her foot down hard on his toes.

"Ow ow ow!" He screamed hopping around on one foot.

"Serves you right." She said and walked out from under the covering of the magical artifact. Immediately the distorted fog like magic of the land raced towards her and clung to her. She grimaced and walked over to the dead cockatrice. "Do you think we can eat this thing?"

Verin stopped dancing around. "How should I know."

"Well it is a chicken."

"I'm not sure I would call that a chicken by any stretch of the imagination."

"Butcher it up for me. I'm hungry"

"What?" Verin squeaked.

"I do it but I've never butchered a thing in my life. And from what I've seen of your memories you've eaten numerous small animals. Now that you have magic this guy should be easy for you to chop up."

"Fair enough, I'll do it. But you have to apologize for stomping on my toe first."

"Ha fat chance of that. You deserved it."

"Then no food."

"I'll just fly off and go find something else to eat than."

The smile on Verin's face faded. "I don't think that be smart. It's getting dark out and who knows what creatures are out there."

He had a point. She waved her hand and the dead bird err beast floated off the ground. She marched back underneath the protection of the artifact and dropped it on the ground. "Butcher it for me."

"Fine. But you'll owe me one."

She smiled and sat down in the corner of their two walls.

Verin used his magic to raise the creature back off the ground again and pushing a little bit farther away from his floor then started to systematically prepare it. XRenia didn't watch. She didn't like the sight of blood at all.

As he worked he asked, "So what about this lady of the lake's vision?"

"Damsel. The Lady of the Lake was an entirely different woman at least I believe she was. The history behind Morgan always seemed a bit confusing to me."

"Okay damsel. What do you make of her vision? Do you think that magic will be the end of us?"

She heard a sloshing sound and then a plop. She forced herself not to look. "I don't stick much stock in visions. However some believe the devourer was what she seen. But my forefather took care of that so who knows.

"There's a lot of meat here, so I'm not going to bother with plucking the feathers. I'll just take from around the bones. If you start a fire we can start cooking some right away."

She turned towards him and nodded. Right away her eyes were drawn to the purple and blue mass of slimy blood covered something or other from the creature that he tossed on the ground a few feet away.

"O, gross what is that?"

"Just it's intestines. I'll bury them when I'm done and the rest of the remains so they don't attract other animals."

She looked at them in disgust and hurried past it.

As she formed a fire pit with small rocks he asked, "Whatever happened to Archlend? I've heard lots of stories about him but no one ever says how he died."

"That's because he's not dead."

"He's not?"

"Well maybe. He his wife and his son left the planet and haven't been heard of sense. But I highly doubt they are dead. They're just out there somewhere."

"They left your grandfather here all alone?"

"Well, they don't know grandfather existed. He is an illegitimate child and they left the night he was conceived."

"Oh. What about his mother?"

XRenia didn't like to talk about that but if Verin was going to be a part of this family he had the right to know. "Without the help of Mathis's magic grandfather's birth was too much for her and she died right after. With the last of her strength she gave him the name Junior then died. After that grandfather was entrusted into headmaster Alton's care."

He walked over with a giant long piece of meat. "Headmaster Alton?"

"It's a long story."

"Well once we find some wood and I teach you how to start a fire you can tell me about it while the meat cooks."

She finished forming the fire pit and the spells she had crafted into it then pushed her magic at it. There was a loud c***k as the rocks shattered and then it and everything in the pit melted into lava.

Verin step back. "Or I guess you could do that."

XRenia smiled at him as she placed small wind spell at the side of the pit to pull oxygen down towards it. As the air the spell fed towards the lava it burst into beautiful yellow and red flames. "And we have a fire."

"That seems kinda like cheating."

She laughed. "Hand me that large flat rock over there and we can use it as a grill."

He sighed, yanked the rock out of the ground with his magic and floated it over to her.

"That's the spirit. Why do something by hand if you don't have to," XRenia said as she caught the rock and started cleaning it off with water she pulled out of the air.

Once she was done she petitioned the rock over the fire and he laid the meat down on it. "Well let's give our shelter a roof and another wall while we wait." She suggested.

He nodded and they spent the next half hour finishing up their makeshift shelter than eat while XRenia told Verin about headmaster Alton and how her grandfather met her grandmother.

*

"You can't be serious. That's not how they got married!" Verin exclaimed with the last piece of cooked meat hovering in front of his mouth.

XRenia reached out, snatched it and quickly shoved it into her mouth. As she munched she said, "I . a..m com..plet..ely."

"Hey that was mine."

She swallowed. "You snooze you lose."

"Ah whatever I'm stuffed anyway." He flopped on his back and gazed up at the sky as the sun sank over the horizon. "Well at least I now know it's a family trait." He looked over and she saw his eyes twinkle. "One I'll have to work hard to make sure our kids don't have."

"Kids!" If she hadn't already swallowed she would've choked to death.

Verin rolled over and stood to his feet. "Well I'm going to hit the sack I don't know about you but I'm beat."

"If you think I'm good at bear your kids you have another thing coming!" She shouted after him as he walked into their makeshift shelter.

He didn't answer.

She sat there in silence. XRenia desperately tried not to think anything knowing he be able to hear her. But the truth was she really enjoyed spending time with him. She had tried to date a few times when she was younger just to know what it felt like but the guys are always too shy or trying to get up in her stuff. She's actually broke one guys arm because of that. Verin though he wasn't like any of person she'd ever met before. There was no guile in him no political pull and no overt perversion. Albeit she had noticed him stilling a few glances at her throughout the day but it was nothing like other men. She laid back and watched the last of the sun disappear.

As darkness descended she felt Verin's presence open up to her. She was shocked at first but then she dove into him. He felt happy his mind radiated with excitement for tomorrow and images of her floated through his mind.

She watched in confusion trying to figure out why he was showing her this then she heard a snore coming from the shelter. She rolled her eyes Verin was asleep.

A smile crept across her face, now was the time to raid his memories and find out exactly what he thought of her. She plunged deeper into his mind but she was instantly meant with an ever changing maze of incoherent pieces of memories and thoughts. Blast it, she thought. So much for my perfect opportunity.

She stood up and stretched. "I guess I should hit the sack too."

CHAPTER 11

XRenia woke the next morning and lazily stretched. Despite the hard floor and unfamiliar area she had slept surprisingly well. Normally she probably wouldn't have been able to sleep at all but with Verin sleeping on the other side of the room dreaming about her it felt like she was being lovingly caressed all night long. She let her eyes trail over to the spot where Verin had curled up but he wasn't there anymore. She languidly reached out with her mind towards him, to her dismay he had locked himself off from her again. Suddenly she felt wide awake as she called out, "Verin."

There was no answer.

She jumped to her feet and searched the entire area with her magic and as far she could reach out in to the magic soup but there was no Verin. He had left her again.

She leaned against the wall and slumped back down to the ground. She should have used her magic last night to chain him down while she had the chance. Now, who knew where he was or if he was going to come back.

"Who cares. I don't need him anyway." She said out loud to herself even though she wasn't about to step outside without him at her side.

XRenia sat there moping for a few minutes then decided to do her morning web surfing to try to get him out of her mind.

She formed a scrying in front of her and connected to her favorite teenpop news site. To her horror there on the front page was a giant repeating image of her sobbing at the foot of the oak with the words written across it "Princess is rejected by Shepherd boy."

She shot to her feet as she stared down at the offending headline. How had they got that picture? No, how had she not felt she was being spied on?!

XRenia plopped back down and angrily scrolled the scrying. A second repeating clip appeared this time it showed Verin turning his back on her disappearing through a rift and her chasing after him with a forlorn look on her face only to have the rift slammed in her face.

"I did not look that upset!" She screamed. "They edited it!"

Enraged she flicked at the floating screen and a third picture came into view and this one had sound. Her eyes grew to the size of saucers as she watched herself shout at the sky. "You hear that Verin I don't care what you think of me!" Over and over again.

"Oh, now that just does it! I'm going to find whoever took these scrying's of me and kill him!" She scrolled to the bottom of the article and furiously looked for the author's signature. She found it at the bottom right hand of the artic. . .

A hand swept through her magic screen dispelling it. She pulled back and stared up. It was Verin!

He pushed another scrying into her face. "Read this one it's much better."

She was about to demand to know where he had gone when the title of the article caught her attention.

"Princess saves family."

The photoplay underneath it displayed her trademark fiery shockwave reaching from the pier out towards the sea.

Verin scrolled the scrying and she quickly read the column.

Apparently, she had not only saved the family but thanks to her ice bridge they were able to retrieve the underwater observatory recuperating thousands.

She flicked to the end of the story to see the father hugging his wife and their two children in front of them as they said "Thank you. We will never forget what you've done for us." XRenia watched it over and over and by the fourth time a small tear trickled down her face.

Verin dispelled the scrying. "See what I tell you. A lot better. Makes it all worth it; knowing that we saved their lives. Doesn't it?"

She wiped away the tear with her hand and frowned up at him. "Where did you go?"

"I'll tell you. But first here." He handed her a styrofoam container.

XRenia took it and looked inside. "Looks like some type of bread. What are they?"

"Piroshki. I was going get you shashlik but with the little bit of money we have, I could only get you a few sticks so I got this instead. I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy it more anyway."

She picked up one of the bread-like buns and bit into it. "Oh it's deep-fried and there's cheese and onions in it."

"You like it?"

"I do." She answered and pushed the rest and her mouth as she reached for another. "S..o wh.ar ew go?" She asked with her mouth full.

"About four hours ago I got a message from one of the people I helped open their magic saying Duke Ireland wanted to talk to me."

She stopped with one of the doughy cheesy things inches away from her mouth. "And you went!?"

Verin nodded. "He said if I did one favor for him he would forget the whole you barging into his property thing."

XRenia put down the food. "And what was that?"

He smiled at her. "Oh don't worry was nothing bad he just wanted me to build his summer villa."

"He what!?"

"It was actually surprisingly easy he had a scroll blueprint and all the resources laid out. All I had to do was provide the magical energy for the spells in the scroll to work."

"You did it?"

"I did and now he has a new mansion where I used to keep the sheep during the winter." He took a deep breath. "Though I won't deny it took it out of me. I'm quite tired."

Alarms sounded inside her something was amiss. "Why in the world would you do that? He could've killed you while you're weak. Or worse taken you hostage."

He shook his head confidently. "He wouldn't have done that. If he tried either according to the magic charter he and his entire family would have been legally subject to you and your entire family's wrath for laying a hand on me your bond mate. As to why I did it." Verin pulled out a black rectangle about four inches thick. "He gave me the scroll blueprint for the house which is worth a hundred thousand in itself. And he's already had his architecture reprogram it so it can use whatever resources it finds in the area."

XRenia cautiously took the scroll from him and began to examine it. It was a combination of an electronic tablet with almost a thousand different spells in it that combine together to build a beautiful grand structure.

"With it we can now build a fully working house here. It won't be as beautiful as the Duke's new summer home because it will be mainly built out of rock and dirt but it will be fully functional with bathrooms running water and a kitchen. It also comes with perimeter defense and alarms spells."

She carefully used her magic to examine each of the spells to make sure there was no trap them when she didn't find any she used her magic to examine the combination of spells to make sure there was no hidden trap. To her surprise there was absolutely nothing amiss. The Duke had apparently kept his end of the bargain with Verin. Whatever that bargain exactly was though she wasn't sure.

Verin smiled reassuringly at her and sat down in the corner beside her. "If you think I betray you or something like that I can reassure you I'd rather kill the Duke then let you get hurt." He opened his mind to her and she could feel that he was telling the truth and once again she felt that he cared for her. She tried to dive into his mind and figure out exactly what that meant when he closed himself off again. He smiled teasingly at her then laid-back against the wall and closed his eyes.

She set down the tablet and pick back up the porlisee? Plirsky? Whatever bread bun like food and scooted closer to him. She gently jabbed him in the side with her elbow. "You want some?"

"Naw. I ate already," he said without opening his eyes.

XRenia took another bite of one. They were good and thanks to Verin deal with the Duke they'd actually have a proper base. Now all they had to do is figure out how to fix the lay line closest to them.

"Oh that reminds me." Verin said raising his left hand and producing a scrying above it. "I downloaded this book off a website. It supposedly has everything there is to know about lay lines. Sadly I can't understand it."

She leaned over and looked at the scrying . Oh that's right Verin can't read, she thought as she flicked the book to its table contents.

"I can to read. I can absorb your memories remember. I just can't read this that well because this book uses a lot of words you never read."

"So it's my fault you can't understand the book?" She said as she stuffed another bread bun-like thing in her mouth.

"They're called Piroshki. And yes it kinda actually is," he said with a giant smile on his face.

She elbowed him hard in the in the side.

"Ow!" Verin exclaimed opening his eyes and glaring at her.

XRenia pushed his face away with her hand and jam the entire last stuffed bun into her already full mouth. She tossed the styrofoam container to the floor, picked up the black tablet and stood up.

"Hey what are you doing?"

She gave him a smile showing her food and walked out of the structure.

He jumped up and followed her. "You're not going to do that right now are you?"

She didn't answer him instead she put the tablet on the ground and used her magic to expand the size of the shield she put down last night.

Verin however read her mind and reached for the tablet. She kicked his hand away. She knew he wanted to do it but she was going to.

"That's not why." He protested. "Well, I don't deny I want to be the one to do it. But I also don't think it's wise for both of us to be all used up at the same time. If you insist on doing it at least let me rest up first."

She laughed. "You might have the same magical power I do but compared to me you're physically weak. This," she tapped the scroll blueprint with her foot. "won't even wind me."

"I highly doubt that," he said crossing his arms. She watched him looked around for another excuse to stop her. "What about the dragon claw."

XRenia rolled her eyes. "Just watch it. If it starts to affect or be affected by the blueprint just pick it up and stick it in our dimensional inventory."

She finished making the shield large enough to fit their new palace and knelt down beside the tablet.

"Fine if you want to do it I'll let you. But at least let me put out the few resources it does need." Verin said running past their structure.

She watched him run out to where the middle of the manner would probably be. "Resources what resources?" She called after him.

"The Duke gave me about two hundred pounds of raw metal and a hundred pounds of raw copper along with some silicone because the house needs it for its electrical system," he answered as he pulled the resources she hadn't realized where there out of her dimensional inventory and plopped them on the ground.

She stopped. There was definitely something wrong the Duke had been way too generous. There was something Verin was not telling her.

As Verin walk back towards her she stood up crossed her arms raised her eyebrows and tapped her foot meaningfully.

His shoulders sagged and he sighed. "Okay you're right there is something. But it's not that important it can wait until later."

"Verin you tell me right this instant or so help me I'm going to chain you down and force it out of you."

He stepped back. "Oh, that wouldn't be good for me. I'm not that type of guy," He joked.

"Verin!"

"That's not my name."

"Tell me now! What happened?" She raised her hand threateningly as she mentally prepared binding spells.

"Alright fine." Verin plopped down in the dirt. "Just promise me you won't overreact."

A shiver of fear ran along the nape of her neck. Just how bad was it?

"Not bad," Verin said. "Well.. I just tell you." He took a deep breath and began. "Because of my innate magical power, the Duke thinks I'm the last surviving son of the Tsar. But he wasn't sure because he didn't have a DNA sample and your magic combined with mine made it so he couldn't get a correct magic signature either. He tricked me into using up all my magic so he could get a proper magic reading and then he also took some of my sweat. So now he has both and he is sure that I am the rightful ruler over my nation. If he can get our ruling body to accept the validity of my inheritance my bond with you will officially make our two nations allies in turn making us the most powerful force in the world."

It was XRenia's turn to be knocked off her feet. "How is that even possible? I thought the Tsar died almost twenty years ago," she said as she sat down.

"I guess I'm older than I thought. Not only that I'm apparently his illegitimate son to a woman named Darya that he'd like to frequently secretly visit in the latter end of his life."

"Why didn't you tell me this as soon as you came back?"

Verin stood up and stretched out his back. "Because it's unimportant. I've already sent a letter according to the magic charter succeeding my birthright and right to rule. The Duke doesn't know that yet of course."

"You did what!?"

"I gave up my birthright," he elaborated as he casually cracked his neck.

XRenia shot to her feet and stared at him in complete disbelief. "Why?"

"Because as much as I hate to admit the corrupt politicians who are running my nation are doing a pretty good job and if accepted what is rightfully mine now all my people would have to look forward to is war. That and most likely rebellion I mean who wants an untested shepherd boy ruling over them."

She reached out and took his hand and he gazed deep into her eyes then smiled. "Besides I can help far more people helping you start your own kingdom here."

"It'll be our kingdom." She told him than half a second later realized what she said and her cheeks burned a cherry red.

He touched the side of her cheek with his free hand. "Yes, our kingdom."

XRenia found herself leaning closer to him and he leaned closer to her. Her heart started beating a million miles a minute and the world around her seemed to blur. They were going to kiss. She was going to share her first kiss with Verin. But seconds before their lips touched she realized she hadn't brushed her teeth yet. She tried to pull away but his hand slid from her cheek to the back of her neck and he pulled her towards him.

His lips met hers and molded around them. She closed her eyes as she drank him in letting all other thoughts fade away. Slowly she put her arms around him and leaned closer but then she felt him brush up against her and at that contact, he immediately pulled away from her. "I'm sorry," he said turning his back to her.

Her cheeks and all the way to her ears flushed red. For some time they both stood there in awkward silence. XRenia tried not to think about it, she tried not to think about him, she tried not to think about him him but her eyes kept on trailing over to him until at last he was so uncomfortable that he said, "I thought you were going to make the mansion."

"Oh yeah," she said clumsily.